


Trust, If but Earned

by donutsweeper



Category: Earth: Final Conflict
Genre: Gen, Protectiveness, Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:00:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21714958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/donutsweeper/pseuds/donutsweeper
Summary: Liam had thought the event showed all the signs of possibly ending badly. Some day there was a chance Liam wouldn't be right about things like that, but today was not one of those days.
Relationships: Da'an & Liam Kincaid
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	Trust, If but Earned

**Author's Note:**

  * For [coralysendria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/coralysendria/gifts).



> Thanks to werewolfinatophat for the beta!

The waterfalls were beautiful, and, in theory, the perfect place to hold the photo op, but Liam had concerns. There had been some anti-government sentiments and political instability in the area recently but, according to Zo'or and Agent Sandoval, it was neither serious nor extreme enough to force the cancellation of such a "highly anticipated" event. Liam suspected that meant they were so desperate for the good press that the Taelons would get from the event that they didn't care if it endangered Da'an. Or perhaps they considered that the possibility that Da'an might be be killed a bonus. It could have been either, it was hard to say with those two.

It started off well enough with everyone posing for pictures and some nice words by various politicians before the Environmental Minister took center stage. "As I stand here, in front of these Falls I want to thank the Taelons because it is only due to their…." The speech continued but Liam tuned her out. He was as thankful as anyone that as a result of the Taelons' technology and assistance the formerly polluted waterways were now crystal clear, but there was something teasing on the edge of his awareness that was making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, he surveyed the scene. In the center of the clearing, with the Falls as a backdrop behind them, the Minister was standing at the podium with a handful of various city and civil dignitaries seated in a half-circle a few feet behind her. Da'an stood a little to her left while Liam had been shunted off to the side along with a few aides. The number of press had been kept small, although there were numerous cameras filming the event from every conceivable angle. Everything looked fine, but there was something….

That noise, it almost sounded like— 

"Incoming!" he shouted as he ran towards Da'an. "Take cover! Everyone take cover!"

Grabbing Da'an, he tried to shield him somewhat with his own body as they rushed towards the shuttle but they hadn't even gotten halfway there before the first of the rockets struck. It was hard to ignore the screaming and chaos happening behind him, but protecting Da'an was his primary concern. As close to a half dozen rockets exploded around them Liam realized the shuttle wouldn't be safe—not only was the route to it being bombarded, but considering the sort of firepower being used, even if they could make it inside whoever was attacking could easily blow it up before they could use it to escape—so he headed to the treeline instead. "This way," he yelled, "Come on, Da'an! Hurry!"

Several vehicles sped into the parking lot and people in some sort of military fatigues he didn't recognize poured out and began firing indiscriminately into the panicked crowd. He could vaguely make out them declaring there had been some sort of coup d'etat, but he didn't stop to listen. In all likelihood one of the reasons behind the overthrow of the current government was not liking its close ties to the Taelons and as a result there was a good chance killing Da'an and his protector would be considered quite the feather in their cap.

Thankfully, it didn't seem that anyone had spotted them and they were able to make it into the woods without getting shot. Despite his global continually beeping at him, Liam waited until they'd run for another five minutes or so before finally slowing and pulling it from his pocket. He couldn't even pretend to be surprised when he saw it was Sandoval contacting him.

"Major Kincaid! We saw the beginning of the attack but then the news feeds cut out, are you and Da'an all right?"

Biting back a snarky reply, Liam said, "So far. We couldn't make it to the shuttle, so I took Da'an to the only cover available, the forest. I don't think they saw us, let alone what direction we headed in, but we can't rely on that or assume we're safe here. The insurgents have to have known we were at the event and there's no way of knowing if they'll come after us or not."

"I'll dispatch a shuttle to pick you up immediately, for now—"

There was no warning before gunfire struck the trees just to their left. Ducking and spinning around, he noted at least a half dozen figures only a hundred yards or so behind them. "Major!" Sandoval called from the global but Liam couldn't answer since he spotted a grenade arcing its way in their direction. Grabbing Da'an again, Liam pulled him over a large fallen tree, pushing him onto the ground behind it. Then he threw himself over the Taelon, trying to cover him as best he could as the grenade exploded, sending debris all around them.

Seconds later he was up and they were running again. Thankfully, he'd done his due diligence he'd studied the area well and knew that they were less than a quarter mile from a system of caves that should, in theory, not only provide protection but enable them to travel through and out the otherside where they could be picked up safely. Quickly tapping the coordinates of where he expected to emerge into the global he brusquely ordered, "Have the shuttle meet us at this location," before slamming it closed and shoving it back into his pocket.

He tried to pick up the pace but while Da'an was doing his best, he could only move so fast and as a result their pursuers had nearly caught up with them by the time they'd reached their destination. "In there!" he shouted, pointing to the split in the rock formation that led to the caves, "I'll be right behind you!" and then he lay down cover fire so Da'an could cross the open area before sprinting it himself as soon as Da'an was safe.

Once inside he gestured Da'an further back and, as carefully as he could, fired a blast at the ceiling near the opening. As he'd hoped, it caused a minor rockslide, blocking enough of the passage that no one would be able to easily get through and follow them. Pulling out a flashlight— and sending a mental 'thank you' to his mother for her habit of never leaving the house without one—he clicked it on and pointed the beam in Da'an's direction. "Are you all right?" 

"I am uninjured, but why did you cause the entrance to be blocked? I understand that it prevents our pursuers from reaching us, but have you not caused us to be trapped here now?"

"Nope." Liam grinned. "It'll take a little walking and maybe a bit of climbing, but should be able to meet up with the shuttle Sandoval is sending within the hour. There's a map I can show you," he began as he checked his Global, "Damn, no signal. Good thing I memorized it then."

"That is fortuitous indeed. However, if I may ask, how did you know these tunnels existed? Have you been here before?"

Liam shook his head. "No, but whenever you are required to be somewhere I'm unfamiliar with I do my best to research the entire area. I make note of everything that might end up being significant: sightlines, places an assassin or kidnapper might hide, escape routes… everything. I take my role as your Protector seriously, Da'an, you know that."

"You are correct, you have never been anything but committed and diligent in your duties." Da'an placed on hand on his chest and held the other out as he lowered his head. "I should have trusted in that. I apologize."

"No apologies necessary. Come on, the exit is this way, the quicker we get started, the quicker we'll be out of here."

"Then, please, lead the way."


End file.
